New Chrisman water line breaks
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The City of Chrisman held their final meeting for the month on May 16th. The meeting began with approval of claims in the amount of $45,217.23. Building permits were also granted for 404 West Madison and 605 South Illinois. A demolition permit was granted for 323 South Iowa. The property located at 221 South Illinois was also relisted. Commissioner Bryan Haddix mentioned that he would like to have the bids start at a minimum of $2,500.
Commissioner Thad Crispin stated that he had put in his budget to get the sidewalk by Neal EMS fixed. “I’m waiting to hear back from my engineer so we can get started,” Crispin said.
A leak in the water line was reported by Franklin Cemetery. “It was six miles down there,” Commissioner Haddix said.
In the stretch of line between the meter at Malfunction Junction and the Chrisman Water Tower, there is a total of twenty of the same pipes that had busted. Luckily for the city, the parts are under warranty and will be replaced.
In matters of unfinished business, Commissioner Brice Stratton has been busy getting quotes on fixing or replacing the current backhoe that the city owns. Fixing the backhoe would cost six to seven thousand dollars and fourteen to sixteen thousand dollars to trade in. “A new one is looking at fifty to sixty thousand,” Stratton said.
Stratton stated that he was told that when a backhoe is listed as a trade in, there is a wait list and ordering a new one could take up to six months or longer. “We’re looking at sixty-two hundred for fixing the three cylinders that are leaking and the three tires.”
Commissioner Crispin suggested possibly talking to other municipalities to see if they would be upgrading their backhoes and would be interested in the city buying them. “I know your concerned about hours, but we bought this one off of Ridge Farm many years ago,” Crispin said.
A decision has yet to be made on the water and sewer adjustment. Commissioner Haddix told the council that he wasn’t in favor of any adjustments to the bills due to all of the work going on. “I move we don’t do a water adjustment for at least a few months,” Haddix said.
The council has decided to table the idea of the Neighborhood Watch until Mayor Danny Owen, who was absent, could be in attendance.
An IEPA participation letter was received by the city which requires the city to use an IEPA certified lab for all of their water testing.
“There are only so many in the state,” Bohle said. The closet certified lab is in Peoria. “PACE was always reliable to get the results back in the allotted time.”
The issue of picking up the samples has been an ongoing issue.
A phone call would have to be made to PACE to be coordinated for a pickup in Champaign in order for the samples to get to the lab in time. “UPS wasn’t making it to the lab in the allotted time and the sample was expired,” Bohle said.
A fifty cent difference was noticed between DNR and PACE. Commissioner Crispin asked if they changed the pickup time and used FedEx and set it for twenty-four hour delivery, would the samples make it on time?
“It was twenty four hours from when it entered their facility, not twenty four hours from pick up. It wasn’t anywhere true to the twenty four hours,” Bohle said.
The only other option is for a city worker to drive to Peoria. About two months ago, Matt Shelato called the courier from PACE for pick up and did not receive a call back.
Bohle tried himself with no answer. Shelato and Bohle pulled samples and drove to Peoria to get the samples to PACE in time. A motion was made and approved to use PACE for all tests.
Commissioner Brice Stratton brought to the commissioners a quote for a locator. “It’s for the locator itself, the batteries – everything. We do get a discount when we send our other equipment back. We have to get a tax exempt sent by email. It could be here Friday or Monday,” Stratton said.
The cost of the new locator comes out to $55,061.60. Commissioner Haddix requested the pros and cons of purchasing this locator before a decision was made. The locator will be able to locate the water main for a longer distance. With the current locator, the workers have to be within one hundred feet.
“We’re gaining distance,” Stratton said. “It would save us a lot of time with this.” The locator would also be able to give Bohle the depth of the line. “That would help me tremendously,” Bohle said.
The council approved the purchase.
Commissioner Haddix stated that he had been approached by community members about the ADA requirements for the pavilion.
“I’m waiting for plumbing to get done,” Crispin said. “I don’t want to pour concrete and have to take it up.” Crispin mentioned that everything will be ADA approved once the project is complete.
One applicant was received for the street position, but the downfall was the distance from the city. “This one was twenty-five miles,” Crispin said. “I’d like to have someone from Chrisman.”
Crispin told Bohle that he was trying to fill the position as quick as he could.
Crispin stated that he would like to get the hole in the driveway at the Chrisman Nazarene Church fixed as soon as possible.
Commissioner Stratton told the council that he had one hundred and three meters that still needed replaced. A quote was received for $7,300 for the replacement. If the city were to replace the meters, it would take about five days. The price includes the programming and starting of the new meters.
Commissioner Cory Chaney told the council of a grant that required a ‘community income survey’, where the community members would be sent a form where they would have to state their income in order for the city to possibly receive a grant.
“I talked to Danny (Owen) a little bit about that and it would be a lot of work,” Chaney said. “If we didn’t get the response back or we may not qualify, so we’ll keep searching for grants.”
At the previous meeting, the city approved spending up to $4,500 for grants to be filled out on behalf of the city, but Commissioner Chaney said that the money was not spent, though it was approved.
